GABRIELA-USA Commemorates November 25th, the International Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women

GABRIELA-USA, an alliance of organizations representing Filipino women across the U.S. commemorate November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) by denouncing the attacks on Gaza by Israel that continues to kill women and children, and opposing the ongoing human rights violations and killings of our women in the Philippines.

GABRIELA-USA stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people to demand Israel to stop this ongoing massacre on the people of Gaza and to end the U.S.-backed occupations of both Gaza and the West Bank. For absolute peace, the U.S. must not interfere and keep out of the affairs of the Palestinian people and the Israeli state must give up its murderous Zionist path and respect the human rights and sovereignty of the Palestinian people.

During this time of a global economic crisis caused by U.S. imperialism, multi-national corporations are vultures competing for and hoarding natural resources throughout the globe, imposing their power through militarization. Air strikes and massacres happening thousands of miles apart between Gaza and Mindanao yet have something in common: U.S. military power and funding for the corrupt puppet regime of the Philippines and the U.S.’s closest ally in the middle east and #1 recipient of U.S. military aid, Israel; in turn, victimizing people all over the world in order to protect the interests of the global 1%.

GABRIELA-USA continues to support ManiLakbayan, a caravan and march that aims to raise the national consciousness around the deteriorating human rights situation in relation to large-scale mining, thus far raising over $1,100 in the last 2 weeks to help community delegates from Mindanao to launch this campaign in Manila. The October 18 massacre in the Philippines of two-months pregnant Juvy Capion and her young sons, Jorge and Janjan, aged 13 and 8 reflects the reality of daily violence faced by the B’laan tribe and other indigenous peoples throughout the Philippines for actively opposing large scale mining by foreign multinational corporations encroaching on ancestral lands. GABRIELA-USA condemns the killings of indigenous leaders and anti-mining activists in Mindanao, and we are continuing to reach out to our communities in the U.S. to support efforts in raising awareness of the recent events in Mindanao. GABRIELA-USA acknowledges that the system massacring women and children in Gaza is the same brutal system victimizing Filipina women globally.

“As Filipino women we hold people like President Benigno Aquino III and President Barrack Obama accountable for the culture and system of violence they perpetrate on women around the world. Hunger and poverty, joblessness and exploitation, evictions, forced migration, lack of housing and healthcare are all part of imperialist plunder and war on women and children” said Valerie Francisco, Chairperson for GABRIELA-USA, “We must rise up and fight for our basic human rights and demand to end violence against women.”

As these current atrocities continue to happen to our women, we are launching a petition letter to demand action from the Philippine government to stop these heinous acts of violence and stop the use of rape as a tool of war against the people. We call upon women across the globe to help us in our fight to end violence against women.

GABRIELA-USA supports people’s right to fight for their own self-determination against aggressive exploitation and oppression. From the U.S. to Palestine to the Philippines, on this day, we honor and support the fighting spirit of women throughout the world against violence towards women and children.

FiRE’d UP, FiRE’s summer film series is back and this summer we’re collaborating with the Brecht Forum to bring you FiRE’d UP WEDNESDAYS! Every 3rd and 4th Wednesday in July and August at 7:30pm, FiRE and the Brecht will present a different film that features the stories and struggles of Filipinas, migrants, and workers in the Philippines and abroad, in conjunction with NAFCON’s Stop Trafficking Our People Campaign. Discussions featuring guest speakers from Tue AUdre Lorde Project, Bayan USA, Anakbayan USA, the F15, and NAFCON NE will accompany the films. See schedule of films below:

Join us for silogs* and calamansi mimosas as we celebrate five years of serving the Filipina migrant community in NYC.

Whether you’re new to who FiRE is, have heard about us, or are old friends we want to turn 5 with you!

From public workshops on culture, migration, and violence against women; to the stage with Diwang Pinay, the Vagina Monologues, and Pinay Herstories; to standing up for migrant workers and women, FiRE has been through so much and we want to say thanks to all of our supporters and hello to new friends!

Saturday, Feb 4, 2012Stand Against U.S. Imperialist Aggression on Iran & Military Build-up in the Philippines

As the U.S. steps up its war propaganda against Iran, it has announced a renewed commitment to build up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular the Philippines. Last Jan. 19, Washington post released an article about the U.S. and the Aquino government talks of broadening U.S. military operations in the Philippines. This is in the light of the growing tensions within the disputed islands in the South China sea. This is clearly part of the U.S. government’s attempt to maintain its domination over the region’s economic sphere and contain its biggest economic rival, China.

This Feb. 4, exactly 113 years since the Philippine-American war of 1899, BAYAN-USA calls on the community to come and join us in front of the Philippine Consulate in New York to protest President Benigno Aquino III’s continued puppetry to American governments’ hegemonic schemes. We will be holding a picket in to register our opposition against Aquino’s puppetry, against the planned military build up in the Philippines and the throughout the Asia-Pacific region. We will then be marching to merge with the bigger anti-war on Iran at Times Square.

What: Picket against U.S. Military build-up in the Philippines then march to Times Square to merge with No War on Iran rally at 1pmWhere: Philippine Consulate General,

556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036 US

When: Feb. 4, 12:00pm-12:30pm

For more information email us at: bayanusa.ne

No to U.S. Intervention in the Philippines and in Asia!Uphold and defend Philippine Sovereignty!Junk Mutual Defense Treaty!Junk Visiting Forces Agreement!Down with U.S. Imperalism!

SAVE the DATE:
Wednesday, February 29th
7:00pm-9:00pm Pinay HERstories: Patuloy and Talambuhay
Pinay HERstories honors the celebration of March 8th, International Working Women’s Day on March 8th as it highlights the contemporary plight of Filipino migrant women in NYC.

There are a number of instances when our stories, as women, as Filipinas, are lost and relegated to the outskirts of history. Pinay HERstories hopes to reclaim the Filipino migrant narrative by collecting fragments of the shared migrant experiences. Join us for a night of readings and performances with migrant women who are students, trafficked victims, activists, nurses, and domestic workers. Stories will highlight the resilience of Filipino migrant women and power of community in their lives.

You can also meet the women of Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE) who have been organizing several local and global campaigns. Learn more about our current programs, our allied organizations, and how Pinays are building a community, here, in the New York City area.

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Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE NYC) is a mass-based, grassroots women's organization serving New York City and its surrounding areas. We connect the Filipino diaspora to the women's struggle in the Philippines. We are women of Philippine descent, including those who are migrants, immigrants and US-born. We are Filipino women of mixed heritage and adoptees. We are a LGBTIQ-(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer/Questioning) friendly organization, inclusive of transgender people of Philippine descent.
FiRE is a proud member of GABRIELA-USA and BAYAN USA.

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FiRE is a volunteer run organization that relies on its community, please consider donating to us! Any amount is a contribution toward the global militant women's movement! SULONG!